Building construction



R. T. cGEE 2,216,319

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed. Nov. 30, 1938 flag/(111114141141? INVENTOR fiichard T. McGee Patented Oct. 1, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION ginia Application November 30, 1938, Serial No. 243,140

9 Claims.

This invention relates to building construction, and more particularly to a structure for use in the fabrication of walls in buildings, although in its broader aspects the invention is not specifi- 1 cally limited to this use.

W a wall construction comprising an elongated base of tongues struck out of the material of the base member.

I provide for increasing the flexibility and utility of a structure such as that of my said copending application by providing positioning members separate from the base member and constructing the base member so as to provide for connection therewith of the positioning members at desired points along the base member. This allows positioning of the studdi-ng at any desired intervals along the base member in constructing a wall as may be determined at the time of installation. As many positioning membeers are provided for connection with each base member as there are studs to be positioned relatively thereto, and such positioning members can be spaced at regular or irregular intervals as close togetheror as far apart at any portion of the structure as may be desired.

I prefer to utilize an elongated base member having perforations therethrough at intervals therealong for receiving portions of the positioning members. I provide means for maintaining the positioning members in place relatively to the base member, such means preferably comprising tongues of the material of the base member outstruck therefrom. The base member may desirably be of generally channel cross section with its web perforated and the positioning members may, for example, be of generally L-shape and adapted to have one leg projecting from the base member to perform the positioning function. While it is contemplated that the structure will ordinarily be employed for the positioning of studding, its utility -is not so limited and it may be otherwise employed. When it is employed for the positioning of studding the studding may be positioned in the samemanner as described in my said copending application and lath may be attached to the studding and plaster applied to the lath, also as described in my said copending application. e

Other details, objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description of certain present preferred embodiments thereof proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown certain present preferred embodiments of the invention, in which a Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a basemember with a positioning member fastened in place relatively thereto and a portion of a stud shown as being positioned by the positioning member;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View partly in longitudinal cross section of the structure shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical cross-sectional view taken on the line IIIIII of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a modified construction;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 but of the-modified construction shown in Figure 4 and taken on the line VV of Figure 4 Figure 6 is a top plan View of the structure shown in Figure 4; and

Figure '7 is a perspective view of the positioning member shown as being employed in each of Figures 1 to 6, inclusive.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 1, 2, 3 and 7, there is shown a base member designated generally by reference numeral 2 which is of generally channel cross section having a web portion 3, flange portions 4 extending substantially at right angles to the web portion 3 and feet5 extending generally parallel to the Web portion 3 and connected with the extremities of the flange portions 4. The web 3 of the base member 2 is perforatedat intervals therealong,

the perforations being designated by reference i numeral 6. Adjacent each perforation is an outstruck tongue I, each tongue conveniently comprising the material originally forminga part of the web 3 but displaced therefrom in forming the corresponding perforation 6. The material of each tongue 1 instead of being severed entirely from the base member is left attached to the web at one end of the corresponding perforation 6 and serves as means for maintaining a positioning member, presently to be described, in place relatively to the base member. In the form shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 each tongue 1 projects upwardly substantially at right angles to the Web 3 and then is turned substantially at right angles and extends generally parallel to the web 3, as clearly shown in the drawing.

The positioning member is shown in Figure 7 and is designated generally by reference numeral 8. It may consist simply of an L-shaped piece of metal, preferably sheet metal of heavy enough gauge to provide the required stiffness, and in the form shown has a relatively long leg 9 and a relatively short leg I0. The positioning member is passed through the desired one of the perforations 6 with the leg 9 projecting upwardly and the leg Ill lying against the floor or other base support II upon which the base member 2 is mounted. After the positioning member is put in place the adjacent tongue I is bent down against the positioning member, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, to maintain the positioning member in place relatively to the base member. This may be done by striking the tongue with a hammer or other suitable tool.

A portion of a stud I2 is shown in Figure l, which stud may be of the same construction as disclosed in my said copending application and is shown as being of generally channel shape with its flanges adjacent its lower extremity turned toward one another so as to enable the stud to substantially embrace the positioning member. The studs may be positioned at their upper extremities by a construction like that shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3 except that such construction would be inverted and fastened to the ceiling or ceiling support. Relatively small perforations l3 are provided for the reception of nails or screws to maintain the base member in place relatively to the floor or ceiling support. The base member may be fastened in place initially, after which the desired number of positioning members may be provided and fastened in place, the studding finally being applied to the positioning members. Lath is then fastened to the studding, expanded metal lath being preferred, and plaster is applied to the lath. Except for the structure of the base and positioning members the wall may be of the form disclosed in my said copending application.

In Figures 4, 5 and 6 there is shown a modified construction of base member, the positioning member 8 being the same as that shown in Figures l, 2 and 3. The base member in Figures 4, 5 and 6 is designated by reference numeral 2 and has perforations 6 therein with an outstruck tongue 1' adjacent each of said perforations and formed similarly to the manner of formation of the outstruck tongues 1 of the base member shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3. However, each of the tongues l of the form of structure shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6 is simply turned substantially at right angles to the web of the base member 2 and after the positioning member 8 is applied as shown in Figure 4 the tongue I is bent down against the leg 9 of the positioning member 8 to maintain the same in place as shown. The tongue may take other specific forms while performing the same function as in the structures above described. The base member 2' is also provided with perforations l3 for the reception of nails or screws to fasten the base member to the floor or ceiling support. The floor support in Figures 4 and 5 is designated II.

The spacing of the perforations in the base member may be at any intervals desired. In standard wall constructions the studs are spaced apart on either 16" or 19" or 24" centers. I find it convenient to space apart the perforations in my base member on 1" centers, thus adapting the base member equally well for use in the construction of walls on studs spaced apart on 16", 19" or 24" centers. The studs may, however, be otherwise spaced apart either regularly or irregularly.

The use of a structure of the type herein disclosed and claimed avoids the necessity of predetermining the positions of the studs when installing the base members and with the use of this structure the base members may be installed without regard to the positioning of the studs, which positioning may be determined after installation of the base members.

While I have shown and described certain present preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that the same is not limitedthereto but may be otherwise variously embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Building construction, comprising an elongated wall base member having a plurality of means comprising bendable tongues spaced longitudinally thereof for interlockingly connecting a positioning member thereto, a positioning member interlockingly connected to the base member at one of said means and having a portion projecting therefrom, and a stud positioned by the positioning member and extending transversely of the base member.

2. Building construction, comprising a base member having a body and an outstruck tongue of the material thereof and an elongated positioning member having a portion cooperating with the base member adjacent the tongue, the body and tongue of the base member locking the positioning member against separation from the base member by lengthwise movement of the positioning member, the positioning member having a portion projecting from the base member when the positioning member is so locked in place relatively to the base member.

3. Building construction, comprising a base member having an opening therein and said base member also having fastening means adjacent the opening and an elongated positioning mem ber having a portion entering said opening, the fastening means being movable and adapted to assume a position cooperating with the positioning member to maintain the same against separation from the base member by lengthwise movement of the positioning member, the positioning .member having a portion projecting from the base member when the positioning member is so maintained in place relatively to the base member.

4. Building construction, comprising a base member having a perforation with an outstruck tongue adjacent the perforation and a generally L-shaped positioning member passing through the perforation, maintained in place relatively to the base member by said tongue and having a leg thereof projecting from the base member when the positioning member is so maintained in place relatively to the base member.

5. Building construction, comprising a basev member having a plurality of perforations for 6. Building construction, comprising an elongated base member having at a plurality of spaced points therealong means for fastening a positioning member to said base member, said means being movable into position to hold the positioning member in place relatively to the base member, and a positioning member fastened to the base member at one of said points by the fastening means provided thereat, the positioning member having a portion projecting from the base member when the positioning member is so fastened to the base member.

'7. Building construction, comprising an elongated sheet metal base member of generallyv channel cross section having at a plurality of spaced points therealong perforations in the web thereof With an outstruck tongue adjacent each of said perforations and a positioning member having a portion passing through the web of the base member at one of said perforations, the positioning member being maintained in place relatively to the base member by the tongue adjacent said last mentioned perforation and having a portion projecting from the base member.

8. Building construction, comprising an elongated sheet metal base member of generally channel cross section having at a plurality of spaced points therealong perforations in the web thereof with a tongue adjacent each of said perforations struck out of the metal of the base member and projecting from the web thereof generally oppositely to the flanges of the base member and a generally L-shaped positioning member passing through the web of the base member at one of said perforations with one of its legs lying generally between the flanges of the base member and the other projecting from the base member opposite the flanges thereof, the positioning member being maintained in place relatively to the base member by the tongue adjacent said last mentioned perforation.

9. Building construction, comprising a base member for a wall construction having a perforation therethrough, said base member being adapted to lie on the floor or other base support for the wall, and an elongated positioning memher passing through said perforation in the base RICHARD T. MCGEE.

DISCLAIMER 2,216,319.R'ichard T. McGee, Wheeling, W. Va. BUILDING CONSTRUCTION. Patent dated October 1, 1940. Disclaimer filed June 14, 1943, by the assignee, The Consolidated Expanded Metal Companies.

Hereby disclaims claims 1, 2, and 6 of said patent.

[Ofiicial Gazette July 6', 1943.] 

